LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The last youth nature education program of the season will be held this Saturday, Sept. 15, starting at 9 a.m. at the Lake County Land Trust’s Rodman Preserve near Upper Lake.

The program is free of charge and open to youth ages 7 to 12 or younger if parents want to accompany them.

Parents are welcome to enjoy the program with their children, or take the weekly walk at the preserve which also starts at 9 a.m.

Leading the program is well-known youth education specialist Elaine Mansell.

She will focus on young Rodman Explorers using their senses to discover that “every trail leads to a new adventure.”

She will focus on the five senses using binoculars and microscopes and examining animal tracks, skat, trees, water, and insects.

Hikers will open their ears to listen to and identify sounds. They also will touch mammal skins look at nests, and feel leaves, bark, seed pods and more to discover there are many different surfaces and textures in nature.

“The purpose of this program is to direct children to be observant utilizing all of their senses rather than ambling through the woods aimlessly,” Mansell explained.

The program is sponsored by the Lake County Land Trust, which owns and operates the Rodman Preserve which is located at 6350 Westlake Road in Upper Lake.

Take the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff off of Highway 29, between Lakeport and Upper Lake. Turn east onto the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, then left on to Westlake Road. The preserve entry is to the immediate right after turning on to Westlake.

Reservations are requested and this can be accomplished by calling Elaine Mansell at 707-263-1637.

Go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org for more information.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Rosa d’Oro Vineyards tasting room in Kelseyville will feature Spanish-inspired cuisine for their September “Flight Night” at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.

Attendees will enjoy a flight of four wines paired with small plates of food in an intimate atmosphere with the winemakers and chef.

Rosa d’Oro featured a panorama of Italian food and wine during the August “Flight Night.”

The first course featured Greco di Tufo white table wine paired with shrimp and mushroom ravioli, followed by Sangiovese paired with panzanella salad, Sagrantino with steak tagliata as the main course, and Nebbiolo paired with panna cotta and wine poached pears for dessert.

The “Flight Nights” are held once a month and offer a different theme for each evening.

The September pairing event will offer gazpacho, orange salad, paella and dessert courses.

Reservations are still available for Sept. 14 at the Rosa d’Oro tasting room, 3915 Main St. Please call 707-279-0483. The cost is $25 per person.

Owned and operated by Nick Buttitta, a second generation Italian-American, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards is committed to crafting unique wines of historic interest, such as Moscato, Dolcetto, Barbera, Primitivo and Aglianico that honor traditional Italian winemaking while highlighting the superb growing conditions of Lake County.

For more information visit www.rosadorowine.com .

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday signed into law legislation authored by Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that streamlines the process and reduces the cost of acquiring conservation easements under California’s Forest Legacy Program.

AB 2169 ensures these acquisitions are not subject to needless duplicative review.

“Gov. Brown recognized this legislation accomplishes his goal of streamlining governmental processes while protecting the public’s interest,” Chesbro said. “His signature on AB 2169 helps ensure we can continue to preserve critical ecosystem habitat and maintain employment for rural communities under the Forest Legacy Program.”

The Forest Legacy Program was created by legislation Chesbro authored in 2000 when he served in the State Senate. The program helps forest landowners protect environmentally important forestland threatened with conversion to non-forest uses, such as residential subdivisions or commercial development, through the purchase of conservation easements.

“Easements acquired through the Forest Legacy Program are a valuable conservation tool to preserve California's fish and wildlife resources while keeping timberlands available for harvest,” Chesbro said. “Not only do these privately owned forestlands create jobs, they also continue to generate tax revenue for the state.”

A problem arose last year when Cal Fire acquired a Forest Legacy conservation easement on Sonoma County’s Baxter Ranch. The purchase was forced to go through the State Public Works Board, which added $18,000 in costs to the project.

“When I authored the Forest Legacy legislation 12 years ago, it was not the intent to involve the Public Works Board in purchases,” Chesbro said.

AB 2169 expressly exempts Forest Legacy Program conservation easement purchases from the Public Works Board’s process, and clarifies that these projects should go through the standard California Wildlife Conservation Board process, “which is what the original legislation intended,” Chesbro said.

“The Wildlife Conservation Board’s expertise on forestry-related projects makes it uniquely qualified to oversee Forest Legacy Program purchases,” Chesbro added. “Forcing them to go through an additional process is duplicative and adds unnecessary costs to the program.”

"Sometimes little things make a big difference,” said Paul Mason of the Pacific Forest Trust.  “Clarifying that Forest Legacy projects are treated the same as other conservation easements will save money, eliminate delay, and make California more competitive in the national competition for securing federal funds for these projects."

AB 2169 takes effect Jan. 1.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Retired Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann will be honored in a special portrait unveiling ceremony planned for Friday, Sept. 14.

The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes in Lakeport.

The Lake County Bar Association and Lake County Superior Court will unveil Judge Mann’s portrait, which will remain on display in Department 3, the courtroom where Judge Mann presided for many years.

Judge Mann was sworn in as the Kelseyville Justice Court judge in July of 1979, and retired as a full-time judge of the Lake County Superior Court in November 2009, serving more than 30 years as a Lake County jurist.

Members of the community are invited to join in honoring Judge Mann at the event. Light refreshments will be served.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Community members are invited to join the Lake County 29ers Cribbage Club.

The group meets every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – or later if there is a tournament – in the meeting room at the Lakeport McDonald's, 1400 Todd Road.

The next meeting is Monday, Sept. 10.

The Lake County 29ers Cribbage Club is affiliated with national and international clubs, including the American Cribbage Congress, and plans to develop a team to play in tournaments around the state.

For more information call Bob Burrows, 707-274-1519.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Sons of Norway Vikings of Lake Lodge No. 6-166 will hold its Heritage and Culture Night at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19.

The group will meet at Galilee Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 8860 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

Dinner will consist of Danish meatballs, red potatoes, red cabbage and carrots at a cost of $7 per person.  

After dinner there will be a DVD to watch entitled “Denmark beyond Copenhagen.”

For more information call Vale Hanzel, 707-928-1060.

Visit the lodge’s Web site at www.vikingsoflakelodge.org/ .